Ultrasonic waves are widely used to inspect the inside of a human body or an animal or to measure a solid such as metal or plastic in a non-destructive manner
A device for generating ultrasonic waves is manufactured in the form of a probe (hereinafter, referred to as an “ultrasonic probe”) which is easy for an operator to hold by hand.
An ultrasonic probe includes piezoelectric ceramics for generating ultrasonic waves and a sound absorbing block that is disposed on a rear surface of the piezoelectric ceramics and absorbs a backward ultrasonic wave advancing toward the rear of the piezoelectric ceramics.
The sound absorbing block adjusts and improves acoustic characteristics of a forward ultrasonic wave advancing toward the front of the piezoelectric ceramics by absorbing the backward ultrasonic wave advancing toward the rear of the piezoelectric ceramics.
A sound absorbing block of a conventional ultrasonic probe is realized by disposing a sound absorbing material having a block shape behind piezoelectric ceramics, and when a size of the sound absorbing block is increased to improve a sound absorbing property, a size of an ultrasonic probe is excessively increased or a weight of the ultrasonic probe is increased.